From the email announcements sent Thursday, April 2.
Join us online again this Sunday as we co-create beloved community together in the midst of a global pandemic. We are suspending congregational worship gatherings until further notice to protect vulnerable members of our congregation and the larger community. You can watch our special live-streamed service on the church’s Facebook page at 10 am on Sunday morning, April 5. Our services are now reaching hundreds of people and are inviting us to be interactive in worship in new ways. In addition to sharing joys, sorrows, and milestones, you may want to light a chalice and sing along with our worship leaders in your home sanctuary. You do not need a facebook account to watch the service live. Just visit the Facebook website or watch them live streaming here at news.uusm.org. The services will remain available on our UU Santa Monica Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. They are also archived here on the newsletter site. If you need help getting online, please contact board member Eileen McCormack for assistance.
“Spiritual Liberation” (Online Worship Service)
Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, preaching • Natalie Kahn, Worship Associate
The Israelites are freed from oppression in ancient Egypt, Jesus seemingly defies death, and Muslims fast from the comforts of the world — these are among the many traditions of spiritual freedom we will explore this month. Our theme for community reflection this month is liberation. Join us this Sunday as we explore what spiritual liberation means to our liberal faith.
Church Facilities are Closed
Please note that church buildings and offices are now closed for business and services until further notice, and church staff members are working remotely. See above for online Sunday service information.
Scheduling Meetings
Although our current in-person meetings and events have been canceled/postponed, we are working on offering online gatherings and other ways of maintaining our community spirit. Please stay tuned as we work out the details.
In the meantime, if you need to schedule a church business group or committee meeting via Zoom, please contact Cyndee Hayes at assistant@uusm.org 310-829-5436 ext. 102.
Please provide the following details at least three days prior to the meeting. If you would like the meeting to be posted in the Weekly Email Announcements, please email Sibylla Nash at OOS@uusm.org by Wednesday evenings.
- Title of meeting
- Meeting’s host information
- Start time and end time
- Participants’ email addresses for an Invite.
Individuals can attend the meeting by phone if they do not have an email address.
Adult Programming
During this time of social distancing and uncertainty, the Adult Programs Committee is working hard to transition many of our groups and programs for personal and spiritual exploration to an online format, mainly via Zoom (but other platforms are a possibility). The plan is to get much of our regular programming up and running within the next ten days. We’ll also be providing assistance to those unfamiliar with how to use Zoom – just let us know you’d like help by emailing AdultRE@UUSM.org at least a few days before the program you’d like to take part in. Look for more information and links for programs on Zoom soon. We look forward to connecting with you!
Upcoming Events
CANCELED>> Adult Programs – Body-Mind Tune-up with Bruno, Saturday, April 4, 2020, 11:45 am – 12:45 pm, Offsite. Bruno Lacombe is conducting exercise classes for UUSM members who are seniors, super-seniors, and people with physical difficulties. Contact Bruno Lacombe at (310) 666-7387.
CANCELED>> D&D – Living in UUville, Sunday, April 5, 2020, 10:00 am – 11:30 am, Cottage NW. Contact Cleo Anderson for more information at DRE@uusm.org.
ONLINE>> Green Committee Meeting, Sunday, April 5, 2020, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Zoom meeting. Please contact Allison Kendall at green@uusm.org to get the Zoom link and instructions for logging on. The Green Committee informs others of the simple changes that can be made to decrease their carbon footprint, and to implement social action to green our community.
CANCELED>> Faith Forward – Inquirers Group, Sunday, April 5, 2020, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Forbes Classroom 1. Session 6: Q & A with the Minister: Rev Jeremiah Kalendae. Please come for an informative and very interesting presentation. You can find the full schedule here.
ONLINE>> Parents Group Meeting, Sunday, April 5, 2020, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Chris Brown for more information.
ONLINE>> Adult Programs – “An Enjoyable Dive into Who and What We Are”, Monday, April 6, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact: AdultRE@UUSM.org to get the Zoom link and instructions for logging on. Bill Blake will present an enjoyable dive into the “who and what” we are. This on-going, twice a month class on the 1st and 3rd Monday is presented to help participants master specific meditation skills. We endeavor to answer the questions Who am I? (attitudes and beliefs) and What am I? (essence or true nature). This class will include meditations that explore participants’ spiritual goals. The monthly group meetings will also focus on insights gained throughout the month. It is expected that participants will develop and enjoy a regular meditation practice.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings Open Meditation Wellsprings, Tuesday, April 7, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom. These are drop-in groups. You are welcome to join us when it feels right to you. If you come in late or need to leave early, just do so quietly. These are exceptional times, and we trust each person to use the group in the way that fits their need. We listen to brief readings, sit together quietly for twenty minutes, journal and share with each other what’s on our hearts. This time of quiet meditation and sharing can help sustain and ground us during these difficult days – supporting us to pause and rest in our embodied experience, as it is. We simply sit together in our shared humanity. We call off the struggle to become other than we are. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 12:00 to 1:00 pm, AND every 2nd and 4th Monday evenings, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.
ONLINE>> Check-in with the Minister at our Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation, Wednesday, April 8, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link. It will be sent out on Tuesdays and posted in our Facebook Group.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, April 9, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
CANCELED>> R/E – Collage Group with Stan Bemis R/E – Collage Group with Stan Bemis, Saturday, April 11, 2020, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Cottage NE. The goal of this group is to help foster personal worth and empowerment, entering into that holy place within and having sacred fun. The objectives are to create works of art and create cards for events or celebrations. Stan works to bring joy and peace into people’s lives by creating art. He has taught many who didn’t realize they had creative talent, from all across the world – from California to Palestine/Israel. He welcomes all ages.
CANCELED>> Adult Programs – Body-Mind Tune-up with Bruno, Saturday, April 11, 2020, 11:45 am – 12:45 pm, Offsite. Bruno Lacombe is conducting exercise classes for UUSM members who are seniors, super-seniors, and people with physical difficulties. Contact Bruno Lacombe at (310) 666-7387.
PENDING>> Passover Seder, Saturday, April 11. If you are interested in pursuing the idea of a “virtual” Passover using Zoom, please Contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org. She’d love to see if we can come up with a plan to connect during this meaningful holiday.
ONLINE>> Lessons of Loss with Leon Henderson, Sunday, April 12, 2020, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for information. The Lessons of Loss is a Life-Span Curriculum developed by Unitarian Universalist Carol Galginaitis. We shall explore participants’ experiences to losses large and small including those associated with death. Reflecting on experiences, we shall also explore the consequences of both sharing and ignoring feelings of loss as well as relevant, related Unitarian Universalist theses from theologians and laypeople alike.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings,Monday, April 13, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the zoom link and directions for using zoom.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Tuesday, April 14, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the zoom link and directions for using zoom.
ONLINE>> Board Meeting,Tuesday, April 14, 2020 – 6:45pm – 9:30pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Jackie Weber at president@uusm.org for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
ONLINE>> Check-in with the Minister at our Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation, Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link. It will be sent out on Tuesdays and posted in our Facebook Group.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, April 16, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the zoom link and directions for using zoom.
ONLINE>> UU Men’s Group,Thursday, April 16, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for information. The Men’s Group offers a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join our welcoming group in provocative and stimulating discussion and to get to know others with UU perspectives in a more meaningful way. This evening’s topics will be: What movies have you watched more than two times and why, and what is something creative you did when you were younger that you no longer do? Why don’t you do it now?
CANCELED>> Ukulele Strum and Sing-Along, Saturday, April 18, 2020, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Forbes Hall. Please contact Kim Kalmanson for questions.
CANCELED>> Adult Programs – Body-Mind Tune-Up with Bruno,Saturday, April 18, 2020, 11:45 am – 12:45 pm, Offsite. Bruno Lacombe is conducting exercise classes for seniors, super-seniors, and people with physical difficulties for UUSM members. Contact Bruno Lacombe at (310) 666-7387.
CANCELED>> International Folk Dancing with Instructors, Saturday, April 18, 2020, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, Forbes Hall. They say that dancing is combining fun with exercise and friends! Learn international folk dancing with instructors Sandy Helperin and Teri Hoffman. Folk dancing is for anyone who loves to move to traditional music. New dancers are welcome – there are no partners required. Donations accepted.
